Mine-gate



No. 608,506. Patented Aug. 2, I898. N. K. BOWMAN.

mu: GATE.

' A ivueacion filed Nov. 20. 1597. (N0 Model.) i 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

WITNESSES [NVENTOR 14...; Attorneys.

THE NORRIS PEraws 60.. vnoro'u'mon WASNKNGTON. n. c.

No. 608,506. P atented Aug. 2, I898. N. K. BOWMAN.

mu: GATE.

(Application Med Nov. 20, 1897.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet -2.

11V VEN TOR WITNESSES 2 EB Z JV 0;: flll/IILJL] W W U. W

W- W Attarneys- THE NDRRIS PETERS co. PHOTO-LITNQ. vusumcrou. o. c.

No. 608,506. v Patent ed Aug. 2, 1898.

N. K. BOWMAN.

MINE GATE. (Application filed Nov. 20, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

a I q Y 7 I I I 20/ M M )1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Attameya.

No. 608,506. Patented Aug. 2, I898.

N. K. BOWMAN.

MINE GATE.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 18 97.) v (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

we. was

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

m: scams versus co. mm'uumo" msnmcmu. a. c.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEWTON K. BOWMAN, or LAWRENCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ALVIN HURFORD,

OF CANTON, 01-110.

MINE-GATE.

SPEGIFICATIONfOrming part of Letters Patent No. 608,506, dated August 2, 1898.

Application filed November 20, 1897- Serial 11076591311. (No model.)

To all whommay concern: Be it known that I, NEWTON K. BOWMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at;

North Lawrence, in the county of Stark and 5 State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which no it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic minegates, and is particularly designed as an improvement on the gate mechanism shown and described in my application for Letters Patout filed August 30, 1897, Serial No. 650,014.

The object of the present invention is to.

provide, in lieu of a rolling gate-curtain forming the subject-matter of the aforesaid application, a folding gate-curtain of novel construction and improved mechanism for automatically opening and closing the same.

A further Object is to provide mechanism for adjusting and maintaining the gate-platform sections in proper operative position and preventing the same from sagging when water-soaked, choked, orweighted by accumulated deposit of coal, mud, &o., thereon.

To the accomplishment ofthese ends the invention consists in certain novel construc- 0 tions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. 7 V 3 In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a mine-gate embodying 5 myinvention; Fig. 2, aside elevation of same, showing the gate-curtain closed and parts broken away to' expose the gate-operating mechanism; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section showing the gate open; Fig. 4, a trans- 40 verse section of the gate-platform and an elevational View of the gate; Fig. 5, a front and a side view of the platformad j usting device; Fig. 6, a broken detail View of the gate-curtain and sectional elevation of one of .the

5 guide-posts; Fig. 7, a side View of one of the quadrant-levers. Fig. 81s a vertical section of thegate-frame, taken on a line between one of the standardsandthe gate-post, and shows a modification in the construction of the gate. Fig. 9 is-a central vertical section of same, showing the gate closed; Fig. 10, a

similar view, but showing the gate folded or in open position; Fig. 11, a section View of a portion of the gate detached, and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail sectional 'view of parts shown in Fig. 10.

Referring now more particularly to the said drawings, Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, 1 represents the gate-platform, comprising two longitudinal-parallel side sills connected at their ends and center by transverse braces 3.v

vided on each platform, one arranged at each side and extending longitudinally thereof. Each truss consists of two sections having their innercontiguous ends connected by a swivel or turnbuckle 7 and their outer ends connected to eyebolts 7 on the end crossties 10,'and the center portion of each truss is supported by a truss brace or guide 7 on the center cross-tie, as shown. These trusses are adapted to prevent the rails L and the platform-deck from bending or sagging under the weight of heavily-loaded cars passing thereover.

4 represents the gate-posts, which are arranged on the inner side of the standards 4 and parallel therewith and connected with the center transverse brace 3 and cross-bar 5. These posts are each formed on their inner sides with guide-grooves 6, extending part way through the posts and merging into narrower guideslots 6, opening through the outer sides of the posts, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. I

13 represents the gate-curtain, which is made of heavy ducking, canvas, or some other suitable waterproof material. This curtain is secured at its upper end to a bar 13 and provided at its lower end with a sleeve or pocket in which is inclosed a transverse bar 14, re-

eesscd at 15 to fit down over the rails 0 and formed at opposite ends with reduced stems 10, moving in the guide-slots G and provided with eyes 10. The function of the bar 14: is to close the curtain by gravity and when the curtain is closed to hold the lower end thereof firmly against air-pressu re, and thereby maintain it in close contact with the platform-sections. The curtain is stiffened to resist airpressure by battenrods 17, secured thereto, and the ends of these rods also project through the guide-slots t3 and are formed with eyes 17*, as shown.

18 represents cords or cables secured at one end to the eyes 16 of the bar 16 and extending through the eyes of the batten-rods and passed over grooved pulleys 19, carried by shafts 20, mounted to revolve in bearings on the standards and posts 4: l". The opposite ends of the cords or cables are attached to the arms 22 of quadrant-levers 21. These quadrantlevers are arranged at opposite sides of the gate, each beingrigidly mounted upon a shaft 23, having bearing in the adjoining standard and gate-post at that side. A chain 2t connects each quadrant-lever with the platform-section 8.

The operation of the gate thus constructed is as follows: When a person walks upon one of the platformsthe platform 9, for instanceor a car rolls upon the railsthereon, the weight of said person or car will depress and cause both platforms to tilt or sag down at the center to a horizontal position. This will draw on the chains 24:, which will move the quadrant-levers from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The cords or cables 18 being secured to the lever-arms 22 will move in accordance therewith and raise the lower end of the curtain, causing it to fold in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and t and open the gateway. The gate-eurtain will remain open until the person or car has passed over the platform-section 8, whereupon the gate will be caused to unfold and close the gateway by the weight of the bar ll, and at the same time the platform-sections will be restored to their normal position.

Automatic pivoted dogs 25 are provided on each gate-post l to engage the bar 1t and prevent the curtain from sagging down until the full weight of the car or person is removed from the platform. These dogs, which are shown in Figs. 8 to 10 for clearncss of illus tration, are each formed with a hook a and an arm I), carrying a pivoted guide-block c, which moves in a horizontal slot at in the gatepost. Each dog is pivoted at the intersection of its hook and arm by a pin or belt a. The dog is actuated to engage and release the curtain by a pivoted bell-crank lever f, having one of its arms adapted to engage the extended pivot-pin c of the block 0 and its other arm jointed to a rod g, movable in guides on the post at". The lower end of this red is adapted to engage a trip device of suitable construction on the platform-section f),

so'that when the said platform-seetion is depressed and the curtain folded the rod will be moved to cause the block 0 to insert itself under the bar 14- and when the platform-section raises to perform the reverse operation.

The mechanism for adjusting and maintaining the gate-platform sections in proper operative position is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and comprises a bracket 26, secured to each standard I and formed with a headed arm 26, which operates in the longitudinal slot of a tension-bar 27 and serves as a guide therefor. The bar 27 is formed with stop-pieces 28 28 at its upper and lower ends and is encompassed by a stiff spiral spring 29, which abuts against the stop 28 and heads on the bracketarm 26. An adjusting-bolt 30 connects the bar 27 with an eyebolt 31, swiveled to an eye 32, fixed in the platform, and a nut on the shank of the bolt 30 couples said parts together. It will be understood that by adjusting this nut the tension of the spring may be increased or diminished, and the pull on the platform sections thereby regulated. Thus if the platform-sections become choked by coal-dust or laden by reason of water-soaking or the accumulated deposit of mud or coal thereon the tension of the springs may be increased to prevent said sections from sagging down.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, the construction of the gateframe is essentially the same; but the gate-curtain is slightly modified in construction to fold in a different manner. The curtain is made fast at its upper end to the bar 13" and at its lower end to an angle stayplate 31-, secured to the bar 11 by a bolt or rivet Transverse slats 17 are secured to the curtain at suitable distances apart from one another in such manner that the flexible portion of the curtain between adjoining slats serves as a hinge to permit the said slats suceessively to assume a vertical position and lap against one another in folding the curtain, as clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 12. Vhen folded, the slats extend parallel with the vertical web of the stay-plate 31 above the bar ll. The said bar 11. is provided at each of its ends with an arm or extension 1i, which travels in the slot 6 of the parts t, and to these arms are attached flat tapes or bands 18, which pass over the flanged pulleys 1!) and are secured to the arms of the quadrant-levers and drawn upon in the same manner as the cords 18 in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In mine-gates, the combination with a tilting platform, and a gate adapted to be operated thereby,of an adj ustable platform-supporting device comprising a slotted bar, a bracket on the gate-post having an arm fitted in the slot of the bar and forming a guide therefor, a spiral spring encompassing said bar and bearing against the bracket-arm, an eyebolt connected with the platform, and an adjusting-bolt connecting said bar and eyebolt and adapted to be adjusted to vary the tension of the spring, substantially as described.

2. In mine-gates, the combination of a tilting platform, a folding gate-curtain, and a connection between the platform and curtain whereby the tilting of said platform will cause the curtain to fold,substantially as described.

3. In mine-gates, the combination of a tilting platform, a folding gate-curtain, and a pivoted lever connected with the lower end of the curtain and platform, and adapted to be operated by the tilting of said platform to cause the curtain to fold and open the gate- Way, substantially as described.

4. In mine-gates, the combination of a tilting platform, a gate-curtain, a spring-actuated tension device supporting the platform and adjustable to vary its resistance to the downward tilting thereof, and a connection between the platform and curtain whereby the tilting of said platform will cause the curtain to rise and open, substantially as described.

5. In mine-gates, the combination of tilting platforms, a folding, gravity-closinggate-curtain, a pair of pivoted levers, cords or cables connecting the lower end of the curtain and free ends of the levers, and a connection between the said levers and platform, substantially as described.

6. In mine-gates,tl1e combination of a frame tion between each lever and one of said tiltingplatform sections, substantially as described.

7. In mine-gates,the combination of aframe carrying standards, gate-posts arranged parallel with said standards and formed with guide slots, two tilting-platform sections mounted on said frame, a folding gate-curtain made fast at its upper end and carrying at its lower end agravity-bar, stiffening-rods secured to said curtain and formed at their ends with eyes, a pair of quadrant-levers pivoted between the posts and standards and having arms, cords or cables connecting the gravity-bar at the lower end of the curtain with the free ends of said lever-arms and ex tending through the eyes of the stiffeningrods, and a chain connecting each quadrantlever with one of the platform-sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

' NEWTON K. BOWMAN.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM J. GREEN, DANIEL DOUGHERTY. 

